Shane Ross refutes claims his department received no extra money in budget

Transport Minister Shane Ross has said it is not true he got no extra money for his department in Budget 2017.

The budget book, issued by the Department of Public Expenditure on Tuesday, said there “are no new measures provided for 2017”, but Mr Ross has said that he managed to secure a funding increase of €72m compared to this year.

Mr Ross has come in for criticism from the Opposition for an apparent lack of action in his department since taking office, but he has rejected such claims.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Mr Ross said the impression given that no additional money was inaccurate.

“I actually got a lot of extra money, it started with €20m, then €30m and then up and up. So it is important to make that clear,” he said. He said it’s vital public transport, roads, bridges and the road network are not just maintained but enhanced.

This includes new buses, the provision of 10-minute Dart, renewal of roads and bridges and all the other transport projects, he said.

The additional €72m includes €54m for public transport to provide for bus market opening, accessibility provision and fleet expansion. Of this, he said €31m is ear-marked for public service obligation and €23m is for the Public Transport Investment programme.

Another €10m has been designated for maintaining national and local roads.

Mr Ross said he would like to see further improvements so he will increase the accessibility grants next year to €3m from €2.1m this year, a rise of more than 40%. This is for retro-fitting existing infrastructure to improve accessibility standards. All new infrastructure is built to accessibility standards and as the bus fleet is renewed all the new buses that will be coming on stream in 2017 will be fully accessible as will Luas Cross City.

He will also be working to increase funding for accessibility works in the Capital Plan review, he said.

Earlier this month, Mr Ross was criticised for not making public his priorities for his department. The Independent Alliance leader was appointed a full Cabinet minister on May 6.

Fianna Fáil spokesman on transport and tourism Robert Troy criticised what he described as an inordinate delay in publishing priorities.

“Judging on the pace so far he will be out of office before he knows what his priorities are,” said Mr Troy.